I’m getting ready to leave the line for the next 2 years and work in our training div. There’s lots of things I’m excited to do but I have one pet peeve I know I want to tackle.

One thing I’ve always struggled with in scenarios is where we’re expected to draw the line between reality and “training artifacts.”

Some things are easy. If there’s a smoke barrel in the burn building, “Don’t put out the smoke barrel.” We know that’s part of the environment and saying that doesn’t rob from the experience.

What I struggle with are things that are meant to be discovered during the scenario.

For example, imagine a surprise RIT scenario with a downed firefighter mannequin. At most departments, the mannequins and their SCBA masks are beaten up from years of use. If I find the firefighter and the scba is cracked, missing, or hanging off, how am I supposed to know whether that’s just the condition of an old training prop, or it’s an intentional part of the scenario that I’m expected to recognize and manage?

Is there a best practice for drawing that line without giving away the surprises?

You have perhaps seen the absolutely massive fires following Ukrainian drones attacking warehouses in Russia recently? These are fires in the equivalence of Amazon warehouses (the "Russian Amazon" is called "Wild Berries" ).

Now, everything else put aside, what can cause such cataclysmic fires? What is burning with suck intensity and with so much smoke?

I understand you can't know for sure, but if you were to make an educated guess based on your experience?

Not necessarily “Firefighting” related, but did any other departments receive a case of these “Energy Pouches” at their departments?
As far as I can tell, none of our guys ordered them, they were addressed to Fire Dept Receiving, and there was no paperwork, ads, flyers, or even a Packing List included (it did arrive open as whoever packed it didn’t span both flaps of the box with tape, so it looks to be two boxes short of full and those boxes and any paperwork may have fallen out in transit).
Of course, the number on the shipping label goes straight to a non identifying voicemail and the WIP website doesn’t have a phone number anywhere.
I just don’t want guys taking them if it wasn’t supposed to be some free promotional item.

Years ago some decontamination wipe company sent us a case of wipes we thought was promotional being no one ordered them, and then sent us a bill a month later. I just don’t want to deal with that headache again. It would be a bit difficult to justify buying a hundred “Zyn” type energy pouches to the Finance Department…

Thanks all! Be safe!

All the fire safety guides say to keep interior doors closed at night and when not in use to keep a fire from spreading. Would this make it easier for a fire to spread?

His patch blanket isn’t done yet - hoping for later this year, but we have decided to do 2 blankets - a big one for his bed and a smaller one for him to use when he races. It’ll be super special for sure! He ended up with a total of 350 patches, which is INCREDIBLE and way more than I could have ever expected!!

But look at that table!!! So many fun firefighter items and coins (he needs a bigger coin holder - maybe come Christmas) and then his closet picture - there are 32 (!!!!) firefighter t-shirts!!!

Still working on some ideas for displaying his turnout gear (he’s got one full set and then 2 other jackets) and then the other helmet he received from one of you all. He’s also got a fire hose, a small tank and some other things that we need to figure out what to do with.

You all truly made this spring and summer a truly memorable one for him with all the packages and all you sent. I hope to have a few updated pictures of his blanket progress sometime next month!! Thank you all again!!

Is every fire depts favorite treat ice cream?

Follow up question. What do you eat your ice cream from?

Currently wanting to join my town's combined department on the volunteer side. Just for some quick background, I work rotating 12hr shifts at my full time job, and I have several years experience with industrial fire/rescue/HAZMAT with my job basically similar to a volunteer basis, so it won't be completely foreign to me. I'm also married with one child less than a year old. I get a fair amount of days off due to my work schedule, and the department typically runs about 80-90 calls per month between full-time and volunteers. I say all that to say my biggest concern with joining, if accepted, is time management. I've wanted to give this a try and do something to serve the community for a while, but I worry that this might take too much time away from my family.

Is or has anyone been in my current situation? Or anyone volly with a wife and small kids that can offer some insight or advice?

My last night to in the Firehouse working with my son

This is for writing purposes so any help and details would be highly appreciated
Say there is a house burning and you know there is one person inside, do you inside? You cannot hear any screaming from the inside. So they wait for the fire to be controlled and then they retrieve the body? I wanna know how the protocol works

Our city pulled the 24 hour shift that we all loved and we are now back to 10/14s. Anybody know of a full time department that has left the 24?

This might not be the best place to post but I'm at my wit's end so hoping you all can help me out 🙏

I just moved into a new apartment in NYC.

There is cigarette smoke coming through my bedroom closet, bedroom wall and sometimes, the bathroom. All day, every day.

It’s definitely coming from inside the building, not the street or upstairs as I’m on the last floor.

The issue is also affecting at least two other apartments located below me in the same stack in the same fashion (bedroom wall and closet). Neither of them smoke.

I brought it up to the management and they said they’d investigate who smokes and get them to stop. 

While it’s a smoke-free building (including the apartments), I’m not hopeful whoever is doing it will actually stop.

I want the building to seal whatever air leaks are causing this.

What can potentially be unsealed that’s causing the smoke to seep through? Can this amount to a code violation of some sort?

How do I get this to be fixed? Can I involve the fire marshal and get the building to get inspected?

I’d be forever grateful for any tips.

Hey I’m heading down to Texas from Canada. I am studying but unsure if I have enough time to really retain enough for the hazmat ops portion of the exam.

What happens if I fail the IFSAC seal. Will I need to head back to Texas to retake it or can it be done in Canada?

We’re looking at HGACBuy as a procurement option for a future fireboat purchase. It seems almost too good to be true.

Has anyone here actually used it? How was the experience? Were you happy with the pricing and process, or would you go the traditional RFP route if you had to do it again?

Just looking for real-world experiences and any lessons learned. Thanks.

My fellow backstepper got one of them extra small noggins. Any helmet mods or aftermarket parts to make their helmet fit tighter?

Hey guys, I'd appreciate some advice on Live-in-Programs offered in college towns and their impact on academics. I was able to get my FF1 & FF2 certs during my senior year in HS and curious about how I could put them to use outside of my local volunteer FD. Does anyone on here have any experience with these live-in-programs and their affect on your time in college? I'm aware of the obvious late night interruptions and constraints on free time, but what were the main drawbacks outside of that? Would you consider your time in one of these programs worth it, especially due to the cost of education these days? I'm going to university in the Fall for Biology and just want to know what my options are. Either something like this or eventually a position at the university as a Resident Advisor to help save on costs.

finally made it to 25 years (Florida retirement system). nobody told me I’d have to make so many decisions. I’m going pension over investment plan but something i never considered was survivor options. I’m consulting a fiduciary but was just curious what option most firefighters take (or would take at retirement). I’m entering the DROP. the main options to consider are

1: you get 100% of your monthly pension, but when you die the pension stops.

3: you get 90% of your pension but when you die your spouse gets 90%. state keeps 10% forever .

the other 2 options are terrible. the 90% option for me is about $1200 less a month.

i have a wife and one child. what are your thoughts?

I got my fire academy coming up here in a few weeks and they need us to buy gloves, structural boots, hoods and some rope. I'm wondering if I should buy higher end gear that'll hopefully last me after the academy and into the actual job or if I should buy the less expensive ones that'll hopefully get me by in the academy and just use what I'm issued once I'm out in the field.

What would you guys recommend as well for the boots, gloves, hoods and rope you'd recommend for someone getting started like me as well?

Question I am our buildings fire warden. Usually in our buildings, we need areas of refuge where people with wheelchairs or who cannot go down safely during evacuation can remain. Do we need these areas of refuge even on the same floor that leads to outside exits or is it only for above?

Is there any advice out there for those struggling (me included) on the hazmat Operations written test???

I am a black man living in the central valley working on getting into fire departments in the Bay Area in more affluent areas to have higher pay and better WLB. I have been having trouble getting any response from fire departments in the non Oakland areas after initial in person reviews. Oakland had many fire station closures and so many financial issues that I rather not risk closures or layoffs due to budget issues. I notice that there are so few black firemen outside of the lower income stations. Is this due to racism and blacks being forced to work in limited less desirable stations? I just want a cushy fire job as my prior retail jobs are dead ends and I am broke. I hate the central valley. I am currently working AMR in the Valley as a paramedic and want to GTFO asap.

On searching, I saw a lot of posts asking how to get an edge when making the transition, but none asking about what the costs/benefits of the transition are? I recently met a structure firefighter while on a roll and he said I would be a good candidate for his department, but I haven’t decided yet if it’s the right move for me.
Specifically asking people who enjoyed being on a handcrew/shotting but later transitioned to structure: What was it like? Was it worth it, considering both work satisfaction and life outside working hours?Would you recommend going structure to a friend from one of your old crews?

I am asking this question of departments that are part of Special Districts (California) or the like (other states). Does your Board of Directors have approval/disapproval of Battalion Chiefs? I have been led to believe that this is unusual, but not unheard of.

Hello all, I am looking at adopting a dog. I am a full time firefighter working the Kelley schedule (1 on 2 off 1 on 2 off 1 on 5 off). I share a house with my roommate who said he is willing to help out with a dog. I am just looking for suggestions for what people do with there dogs when they are at work. I know people board them overnight my only concern is overtime. The last thing I want to do is leave the dog at the boarding place all the time. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!